1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a head slider suspension for mounting thereon a head slider having at least either a recording element or a reproducing element, a head assembly having the head slider suspension and the head slider mounted thereon, a method of manufacturing the same and an information recording/reproducing apparatus comprising the head assembly. For example, this invention relates to a head slider suspension using a magnetic head element as the recording element or the reproducing element, a head assembly, a method of manufacturing the same and an information recording/reproducing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a head assembly for use in an information recording/reproducing apparatus such as a magnetic disk device comprises a slider support section capable of floatably supporting a head slider having a head element, a suspension section for supporting the slider support section, and an arm section for supporting the suspension section and to be driven by a driving mechanism such as a VCM (voice coil motor). While the head slider is levitated at a fixed distance from a surface of a disk-shaped magnetic recording medium by such a mechanism, information is reproduced from or recorded on the recording medium such as a magnetic disk by the head element, and the head slider can be moved along the surface of the magnetic recording medium.
On the other hand, this type of apparatus generally has a plurality of magnetic recording media and a plurality of head sliders because of a recent request for a large storage capacity. Such an apparatus has a structure in which one head slider is disposed so as to face each magnetic recording medium surface and each head slider is supported by each individual suspension section. Heretofore, a plurality of arm sections have been integrally molded by molding or the like for the purpose of reducing cost and other purposes, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 4-76882 (Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 7-122984) or Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-92124, for example. Moreover, as disclosed in these publications or Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 1-130318, the suspension sections for supporting the head sliders are formed separately from the arm sections and then the suspension sections are connected to the individual arm sections. That is, one head actuator assembly (hereinafter referred to as an HAA) has heretofore comprised a plurality of arm sections, a plurality of suspension sections and a plurality of head sliders as a whole.
The related art of this type of technique is that an arm and a gimbal constituting a part of the slider support section are integrally molded as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 64-056078 or Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 01-285061, for example. Moreover, an example, in which an IC chip is mounted on a slider support mechanism comprising the suspension and the arm, is described in Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 06-070848, for instance.
For one HAA comprising a plurality of arm sections, a plurality of suspension sections and a plurality of head sliders as described above, it is, however, difficult to: reduce the cost while meeting a demand for production of a small quantity of many types. The reason is as follows. Many types of HAAs, each of which meets a unique specification, must be provided in order to produce various kinds of disk apparatus each of which meets a unique specification. (e.g., the storage capacity or the like). This is not efficient in design, manufacturing and inventory control.
When the suspension sections are formed separately from the arm sections and then the suspension sections are connected to the arm sections as described above, there is a problem that the number of components is increased and thus the manufacturing and component control are complicated.
On the other hand, a head support mechanism comprising an integral structure having a flexure section for supporting a head, the arm section for supporting the flexure section and a carriage body section for supporting the arm section is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 4-123376 (Japanese Patent No. 2811942), for example. This mechanism can solve the problem caused by lack of strength of junction between the components. Thus, this apparatus can achieve a reduction in the number of components of the whole apparatus, or the like.
However, this head support mechanism has a problem. To actually incorporate. the head support mechanism into the magnetic disk apparatus, two head supporters each of which takes the form of the integral structure are connected by means of a ring in combination with each other, and a pair of connected head support apparatuses is attached to a shaft. Moreover, a wire-wound coil for driving the voice coil motor constituting a part of the driving mechanism for driving the head support apparatuses is supported in such a manner that the coil is located between the two head support apparatuses. In other words, a pair of head support apparatuses is substantially treated as one assembly, and the individual head support apparatuses cannot be independently treated. Thus, this apparatus is considered to have difficulty in being sufficiently flexible in the production of a small quantity of many types.
The present invention is designed to overcome the foregoing problems. It is an object of the invention to provide a head slider suspension, a head assembly, a method of manufacturing the same and an information recording/reproducing apparatus, which can reduce a manufacturing cost by reducing the number of components and can be flexible in the production of a small quantity of many types.
A head slider suspension of the present invention on which a head slider including a head element capable of at least either recording or reproducing information to/from a recording medium and a driving coil constituting a part of a driving mechanism for moving the head slider relatively to the recording medium can be mounted, comprises only one slider support section capable of floatably supporting the head slider; and only one coil support section corresponding to the slider support section and being capable of supporting the driving coil by itself, wherein the slider support section and the coil support section constitute a part of a continuous structure including no joint area.
In the head slider suspension of the present invention, one coil support section is provided corresponding to one slider support section, and the slider support section and the coil support section constitute a part of the continuous structure including no joint area. Accordingly, each head slider suspension can individually support the driving coil. Thus, each head slider suspension can be independently treated and driven.
Another head slider suspension of the present invention may further comprise only one suspension section for supporting the slider support section; and only one arm section for supporting the suspension section, wherein the suspension section and the arm section constitute a part of the continuous structure. Preferably, the suspension section is flexible and the arm section is rigid. The driving mechanism may be constructed so as to swing the head slider around a predetermined fixed pivot externally located. The head slider suspension may further comprise a connect section including a hole which the fixed pivot is to be inserted through. In this case, preferably, the connect section constitutes a part of the continuous structure.
Still another head slider suspension of the present invention may further comprise a wiring pattern electrically connectable to the head slider. Preferably, the wiring pattern extends from the first surface to the second surface of the continuous structure. This wiring pattern may extend from the first surface of the continuous structure, around one end of the continuous structure and to the second surface, reach the slider support section and cover the surface of the slider support section, on which the head slider is to be placed. The wiring pattern may also extend from the first surface of the continuous structure, via a communication hole bored through a part of the continuous structure and to the second surface, reach the slider support section and cover the surface of the slider support section, on which the head slider is to be placed.
A further head slider suspension of the present invention may further comprise an integrated circuit chip on which circuits associated with an operation of the head slider are integrated. The integrated circuit chip may be located on the continuous structure surface facing the recording medium.
Still another head assembly of the present invention comprises a head slider suspension having any one of the above constitutions; and a head slider floatably supported by the slider support section of the head slider suspension. Preferably, the head slider is located on the wiring pattern covering the slider support section.
A method of manufacturing a head slider suspension according to the present invention is applied to manufacture a head slider suspension on which a head slider including a head element capable of at least either recording or reproducing information to/from a recording medium and a driving coil constituting a part of a driving mechanism for moving the head slider relatively to the recording medium can be mounted. The method comprises the steps of forming only one slider support section capable of floatably supporting the head slider; and forming only one coil support section corresponding to the slider support section, the coil support section being capable of supporting the driving coil by itself, wherein the two steps are substantially concurrently executed, whereby the slider support section and the coil support section constitute a part of a predetermined-shaped continuous structure including no joint area.
In the method of manufacturing a head slider suspension according to the present invention, the step of forming the slider support section and the step of forming the coil support section are substantially concurrently executed, whereby the slider support section and the coil support section constitute a part of a predetermined-shaped continuous structure including no joint area.
Another method of manufacturing a head slider suspension according to the present invention may further comprises the steps of forming only one suspension section for supporting the slider support section; and forming only one arm section for supporting the suspension section, wherein these steps are executed substantially concurrently with the steps of forming the slider support section and the coil support section, whereby the suspension section and the arm section also constitute a part of the continuous structure. The step of forming the continuous structure can include a rolling step of partially rolling one plate material and thereby forming the material having portions differing in thickness; and a die cutting step of applying die cutting to the rolled material. Alternatively, the step of forming the continuous structure may include a mold forming step of forming a mold having a cavity with a shape corresponding to an outer shape of the continuous structure; and a step of filling the cavity of the mold with a predetermined material and solidifying the material.
A method of manufacturing a head assembly according to the present invention comprises the steps of forming a head slider suspension by any one of the above methods of manufacturing the head slider suspension; and mounting the head slider on the formed head slider suspension.
An information recording/reproducing apparatus of the present invention comprises a recording medium on which information can be recorded; a head assembly; and a driving mechanism for driving the head assembly so as to make the head slider of the head assembly move relatively to the recording medium. The information recording/reproducing apparatus comprises a plurality of head assemblies, wherein the head assemblies are independently driven, whereby the respective head sliders of the head assemblies are movable independently.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description.